Air-feeder for fire-boxes



(-No Model.) t 2 SheetsSheet 1. G. W. GUSHING.

AIR FEEDER FOR FIRE BOXES.

Patented Sept. '7, 1886.

Iiiu WITNESSES: v

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. O USHING.

AIR FEEDER FOR FIRE BOXES.

No. 848,884. Patented Sept. 7, 1886.

FIG.4.

WITNESSES:

u. PETERS, Pne wmm m Washingiom u.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE \V. CUSHING, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

AIR-FEEDER FOR FIRE-BOXES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 348,894, datedSeptember 7, 1886.

Application filed July 10, 18 86. Serial No. 207,656. (No model.)

' of St. Paul, in the county of Ramsay and State of Minnesota, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-,Feeders for Fire-,Boxes, of which improvements the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for promoting and perfecting combustionin fire-boxes by increasing the draft therein and preventing theformation ofsmoke through the introduc tion of steam-induced currents ofair; and its object is to provide effective and desirable means forcombining the currents of air and steam, and simultaneously regulatingto any required degree, or entirely shutting off, as desired, the airadmission through a series of supply-nozzles.

To this end my invention, generally stated, consists in the combinationofan air and steam supply chamber or casing having an open end, which isflanged or otherwise adapted to be fitted over the outer end of afire-box supplytube or hollow stay, and provided with a steam-jet pipeor nozzle leading into its open end, and a regulating-valve closing theouter end of the casing and governing air-admission openings therein;also,.in the eombination,with a fire-box, of a series of air and steamsup ply tubes passing through the walls of the firebox above thegratelevel, a series of chambers or casings closing the outer ends ofthe supplytubes, each being provided with a central steam-jet pipe ornozzle,a series of valves, each fitting in one of said casings andgoverning air-admission openings therein, and connections by which saidvalves are coupled, to coiuoidently and uniformly regulate the degree ofair admission through the several supplytubes.

The improvements claimed arc hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view in elevation of alocomotive firebox, illustrating the application of my invention; Fig.2, a horizontal section through the same; Fi 3, a side view, inelevation and on an enlarged scale, of one of the supply'chambers; Fig.4, a view, half in elevation and half in longitudinal central section,of the same, and Fi 5 an outer end view of the same.

My invention is herein shown as applied to a locomotive firebox, 1, ofthe present standard type, in the front and back water-legs, 2 3, ofwhich are inserted, at such level as to be above the fuel carried on thegrate, a series of supply-tubes, 4, which are open at both ends, atwhich they are secured to the sheets of the inner and outer fire-box inany approved manner, as by being screwed thereinto and riveted over. Thesupply-tubes are preferably located in different horizontal planes onthe front and back ends of the fire-box, respectively, as shown in Fig.l, to preventinterference of the forward and backward currents of airand steam, and to enable the same to be more thoroughly commingled withthe gases evolved in the combustion of the fuel. An air-and-steamchamber or casing, 5, is secured by bolts pass ing through lugs orflanges 6 on its inner end to the outer shell of the firebox in lineaxially with each of the supply-tubes 4, the inner end of the chamber,which is open, communicating directly with the supply-tube. A steamjetpipe or nozzle, 7, having its outer end threaded or otherwise suitablyadapted to be connected to a steam-pipe, is cast upon each of thechambers 5, said jet-pipes being bent at right angles, so that theirinner ends shall be central with the chambers and supply-tubes, andhaving their discharge ends projecting a short distance beyond the innerends of the chambers, so as to deliver steam into the supply-tubes. Thejet-pipes 7 are connected by pipes S wit-h a steam-supply pipe, 9,leading from the dome 10 or other suitable portion of the steam-space ofthe boiler, and provided with a regulating-valve, 11, for governing theadmissionof steam therefrom. Ahollow ortubular cylindrical air-valve,12, is fitted, with the capacity of axial movement, in the outer end ofeach of the chambers 5, the outer ends of which are closed by saidvalves. Air-supply inlets or openings 13 (one or more) are formed inthat portion of the shells of the chambers which incloses the valves,and corresponding openings, 14, are formed in the valve in the samelongitudinal plane as the openings 13 of the chambers, so as to beadapted to register therewith when the valves are rotated into positiontherefor.

It will be seen from the above construction that the admission of air tothe chambers and supply-tubes may be regulated to any desired degree orentirely stopped, as desired, by proper movements of the air-valves. Anarm, 15,'is fixed upon the outer end of each of the air-valves 12, andthe arms 15 of each series of valvesto wit, those on the front and theback of the fire-box, as well as those on the sides, if such areemployed-are coupled by rods or links 16, so as to be moved simultaneously in opening or closing the air-admission inlets. Thelinks 16arein turn connected by bell-crank levers 17 1S and links 19 withoperating-rods 20, which extend to any convenient position within reachof the engine man on the foot-board.

My improvements are herein shown as applied only to the front and rearof the fire-box, and such application will usually be found sufficient.It will be obvious, however, that, if desired, similar series ofsupply-tubes and their accessories may be employed upon the sides aswell as the ends of the fire-box. I have dev cloped,in practice,highl ysatisfactory results in the prevention of smoke and increase of draft bythe use of my improvements, and have further found them speciallydesirable and effective in connection with a brick arch, 21, in thefire-box of the construction set forth in my Letters Patent No. 383,202,December 29, 1885.

I am aware that devices of various construetions for injecting air andsteam into furnaces have long been known in the art, and am like wiseaware that the coincident regulation of a series otair-admissionopenings by a perforated slide or gate is not new. Apparatus embodyingsuch last-recited feature of construction I therefore disclaim.

nozzles communicating with said tubes, a se- 5 ries of valves, eachgoverning the admission of air to one of said chambers, and a leverand-link system, whereby said valves are coupled for simultaneousoperation, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a chamber or easing having a steam-jet pipedischarging centrally at or near one of its ends, a series of peripheralair-admission openings in its shell or body adjacent to its oppositeend, and an air-valve fitting in said chamber and eontrollingtheairadmission openings thereof, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a chamber or casing open at one end, which isflanged or otherwise adapted to be seen red to the shell of a firebox,and provided with air-admission openin gs adjacent to its opposite end,a steam-jet pipe leading laterally into the chamber, and having itsdischarge end projecting centrally from the open end thereof, and atubular closed ended cylindrical valve fitting and working freely in theopposite end of the chamber, and having openings adapted to registerwith the air-admission openings thereof, substantially as set forth.

CHAS. E. CRAIG, O. N. PARMELEE.

